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Meet Derby, the Whitewater Queen of Cataract Canyon

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Cataract Canyon delivers Utah’s biggest whitewater. This is the story of a Colorado River trailblazer.

Samantha “Derby” Derbyshire clearly remembers her first time in Cataract Canyon. The water was huge, the rapids massive, and the adrenaline rush undeniable. She was hooked.

Eight years later, Derby is one of the few women guiding boats on this wild stretch of the Colorado River. And she loves it just as much as that first day.

This is her story. It will have you cheering, smiling, and dreaming of some splashy whitewater, lipstick and all.

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